LIMITATIONS ON THE STATISTICAL DESCRIPTION OF BLACK HOLES

We argue that the description of a block hole as a statistical (thermal) object must break down as the extreme (zero-temperature) limit is a approached, due to uncontrollable thermodynamic fluctuatations. For the recently discovered charged black holes, the analysis is significantly different, but again indicates that a statistical decription of the extreme hole is inappropriate. These holes invite a more normal elementary particle interpretation than is possible for Reissner-Nordström hole.